A Game and A Riddle
by AnnanInTheSky
Summary: Some say that Voldemort never loved. Some believe he never could. But there was one girl he did. A girl he pushed into a dangerous game against an unbeatable opponenent... and in a twisted way, she won. NOT a Mary-Sue. 3rd categ is Tradgedy.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Okay, I put this on my livejournal originally but seeing as that gets no traffic at all I thought I may as well chuck it on here. So just review or whatever if you want me to continue. I've actually written the whole story so you can feel free to flame me if I'm behind with updating - mind you, I'm not saying that I'm not going to edit future chapters so constructive criticism would be wonderful. This chapter is basically a very long prologue. Or something. How do you define a prologue? Meh. I'll stop rambling now.

Disclaimer: I seriously wonder if these are necessary. I do not own anything you recognise. Happeh?

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Chapter One: A Riddle

"Long time no see, Jane." Elizabeth smiled at me as I walked into our compartment. Her blonde hair was braided down her back, her chocolate brown eyes sparkling. Her brother had died in the war last year, but it seemed that she'd finally recovered.

"Yeah. Sorry for not owling you over the holidays – Aunt Samantha's house was attacked." I sighed, putting my trunk away.

Elizabeth gasped. "Oh, Jane! I had no idea! Is everyone okay?"

I shook my head. "The little ones were all killed – Aunt and Uncle were over at our house when it happened, and the kids were being cared for by a muggle governess."

"Oh, Jane!" Elizabeth sighed. "You and me, we're going to put Grindelwald in his place."

I snorted. "Yeah, sure."

"No, I'm not kidding. Guerrilla warfare. I'll get an underground spy network and we'll-"

"Elizabeth! We're lucky enough to not be home-educated, we shouldn't push our luck."

"Oh, you're so tame Jane."

"I think I'll stay that way, Elizabeth. Better tame than dead." I said grimly.

Elizabeth shrugged. "I'm not going to become a slave to Grindelwald if he takes over England."

I stayed silent, the death of my cousins still fresh in my mind as I retied my curly brown hair in a bun.

The door to our compartment opened suddenly and Elizabeth scowled. "What do you want, Riddle?"

"Hello, my little Ravenclaws." Riddle smiled. "So, I heard your cousins were killed in the war, Adler."

I bristled. "Here to rub it in, Riddle?"

"Not exactly." Riddle smiled wider. "Why don't you step outside with me?"

Elizabeth drew her wand. "Don't do it, Jane."

"Shut it, Johnson." Riddle snapped. "I'm not going to curse her."

"I wouldn't put it past you." Elizabeth spat. "But there's no need to-"

"No, I want to hear what he has to say." I told Elizabeth gently, my curiosity taking hold. "Don't worry."

Elizabeth looked at me incredulously. "Fine. I'll be watching from the window though – don't try anything funny, Riddle."

Riddle smirked as I walked out and down the carriage a bit. "What's this about, Riddle?"

"I have your sister."

"I'm sorry?"

"Your sister – Natasha; I have her captive."

"You're mental, Riddle. She's at her fiancée's house, in preparation for her wedding."

He handed me a picture – Natasha, chained to a wall in a dungeon somewhere, struggling tiredly.

"Holy Merlin..." I whispered in shock.

Riddle took the photograph back. "You see?"

"Why?" I asked him.

"I require your services, Adler." He smirked.

"No way. Not a chance in hell – I'll tell Dippet." I threatened.

"If you tell Dippet, she'll be dead within an hour. The room is charmed – if I trigger it she'll be crushed to death."

I swallowed. "How do I know you're telling the truth?"

"The professors are already aware that she has been kidnapped – Professor Elliot will probably speak to you in private before the feast. They'll probably say that she was abducted by Grindelwald. Will that be all the proof you need, Adler?"

I paused, it suddenly occurring to me that Natasha wouldn't have been home alone. "Is Thomas okay?"

He raised an eyebrow. "The fiancée? Yes, he's fine. In St Mungos, but he'll recover. Unfortunately, his parents were out at the time."

I scowled at him. "What do you want? In exchange for her safety?"

"Oh, I'll think of something. But for now, I want you to wear this bracelet." He held out an ornate silver bangle, and I took it hesitantly.

"What does it do?"

"It'll let you know when I want to meet you, and the engraving on the inside will tell you where."

"O-okay." I put it on slowly, hoping he was telling the truth. I relaxed after a few moments, as no hex had been triggered.

He fixed his robes. "Now, Adler, remember; tell anybody, anybody at all, and Natasha dies."

I watched him walk back to his compartment in shock before I walked back to Elizabeth.

"Are you okay?" She asked. "What did he do?"

I took a shaky breath and smiled at her. "He just wanted to annoy me. It's nothing."

I spent the rest of the train ride there silently praying that Riddle had lied. When I got off the train he was unfortunately proved true; Professor Elliot was waiting beside a teacher's carriage, scanning the crowd.

"Who's that?" A first year asked, pointing to Elliot's short form.

"Head of Ravenclaw." Elizabeth frowned. "I wonder what he wants?"

"Miss Adler! Jane Adler!" Professor Elliot called.

My heart sank. "Yes, sir?"

"I have some grave news." He told me sadly. "Please, ride with me."

I swallowed, and climbed into the carriage quietly while Elliot levitated my trunk onto the trunk rack.

"Now, Miss Adler, I'm afraid that we received a letter from your parents only a few hours ago. Your sister, Natasha, is missing and believed to be kidnapped by Dark Lord Grindelwald."

I fingered the bangle. "Oh..."

"I can see that you're in shock, so I'm going to excuse you from the feast." Elliot told me kindly, his grey hair waving wildly around his old face.

"Thankyou, sir."

Elliot nodded as the carriage jerked to a halt. "Go and have a rest in the dormitory – the house elves will send up dinner and you'll be filled in on any important announcements by your peers."

I walked into Hogwarts and to the dorms in a numb sort of way, bumping into a new professor on the way in. He had red hair and bright orange robes, but he seemed nice enough and gave me a kind look on his way past.

Rowena Ravenclaw gazed upon me curiously from her portrait. "What walks around all day on its head?"

I took a deep breath. Riddles? At a time like this? Did the whole world want to remind me of that infernal person?

"A nail in a horse shoe." I responded after a moment of thought.

"You may pass." She opened and I ran into the dorm, heading to my bed when I felt the bangle vibrate a little and burn hot for a moment, stinging my wrist.

_Unused Dungeon below the Astronomy Tower, after the feast._

I sighed, changing into my regular clothes before waiting for the telltale sound of a stampede of students coming back from the feast and slipping down to the dungeon below the astronomy tower.

"Good evening, Adler." Riddle smirked from the doorway.

"What do you want, Riddle?" I snapped.

"Manners, Adler. Else poor Natasha might just have an accident."

A stab of fear shot through my heart.

"Okay, okay. Fine." I said quickly, glaring at him. "What did you call me here for?"

"I want you to make me Baselisium Potion."

I frowned. "Baselisium? What do you need protection from a Basilisk stare for? The Basilisk attacks stopped last year, you know-"

"I did not tell you that you could ask questions." He responded with an annoyed look.

I scowled at him. "Fine."

"Oh, and have some for yourself once you're done brewing." He moved to leave.

"You don't mean brew it right now, do you? It takes six hours! I won't have any time to sleep-"

"Not my problem, Adler. But I want the potion by tomorrow. There is a wealth of ingredients here, as well a book with the recipe." With that, he left.

I pushed my sleeves up, pulling out the ingredients for the Baselisium, before pulling out the ingredients for Pepper-up. If he was going to make me lose sleep for his potions, I was going to use his potions ingredients to keep myself awake.

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Ta-da! Remember, review if you want me to keep going.


	2. Chapter 2

Okay, so not a whole lot of reviews. I'll deal. Here is chapter two.

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Chapter Two: First Demands

The sun was peeking through the slim window near the ceiling by the time I'd finished the Baselisium, which was the proper silver-gold colour that it was meant to be. I bottled it and chilled it before downing another pepper-up potion – my third that night. If I had another one I'd overdose.

Riddle appeared at the top of the stairs as I held the potion up to the light to inspect it.

"Good." He smiled appreciatively. "I want you to take a dose."

I frowned at him, mildly offended. "I made it correctly, there's no need to-"

"Adler." He said threateningly.

"Fine, fine." I poured it into a shot glass that he transfigured from a shard of glass lying around, and I swallowed the tasteless liquid, shuddering at the slimy feel of the thick liquid.

"Happy now?" I asked, handing him the vial.

"Perfect. Go and get ready for breakfast – wake up call is in ten minutes."

I staggered upstairs after him and had just finished my shower when the others began coming in. My super-strong pepper-up which took all night to prepare was going to last until ten minutes after classes finished, so I'd be fine as long as Riddle didn't want anything from me. Still, the feverish energy of the potion didn't quite hide my deep weariness.

"Hey, are you alright?" Elizabeth asked gently as I went to have a shower. "I heard about Natasha..."

"Yeah, I'm fine..." I sighed. "Just tired."

She nodded sadly, putting her arm around my shoulders in sympathy.

The day passed in a haze of tiredness and the moment the pepper-up wore off I was down like a brick.

Elizabeth walked over as I staggered. "Woah, Jane, are you okay?"

"Yeah, just tired." I yawned.

She inspected me closely. "Where were you last night?"

"I... I couldn't sleep." I'd always sucked at lying.

"Oh. It's because of Natasha, isn't it?" Elizabeth sighed. "Have you been running on Pepper-up all day, Jane?"

"Yeah." I said in relief and she pulled me up the stairs by the arm.

"You can't sleep now, you'll mess up your sleep pattern. Go take a shower." She pushed me towards the bathroom and I waved, going off to take her advice. I had finished my shower and had just lay down on my bed when my bracelet zapped my wrist.

_The secret passage behind the one-eyed witch statue, now._

I staggered upright and somehow made it to the statue, which Riddle opened from the inside and let me in.

"What now?" I groaned. "Can't I just sleep?"

"Teachers will notice if you sleep so early out there. They had people patrolling the halls last night, and they'll know that you were not just taking a walk." He told me. "I've set up a charm that will make people think that they saw you either studying in another location, or eventually sleeping. You can stay here for the night."

I looked around to see a large, comfortable looking bed with silk covers. It looked very out of place among the dust and stone of the old passageway.

A random act of kindness from Riddle? No way.

"Thanks." I said sceptically.

"Also, I want you to be my girlfriend."

I choked. "What?"

"Some of the professors are keeping an eye on me. They think that I am antisocial due to the fact that I have never dated. If you become my girlfriend, they'll stop watching me." He said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"No. Nuh-uh. Not going to-"

"Pity, I was hoping to not kill Natash-"

"I'll do it."

He smirked. "Good. Lets start with the kissing, shall we?"

"What, now?" I asked incredulously.

"Yes, now." He responded impatiently.  
"Riddle-"

"You will call me Tom, _Jane_."

I shuddered. "Fine, _Tom_."

He stepped forward and kissed me roughly. It was uncomfortable in an awkward, unpleasant way.

I held still until he pulled away and he smirked. "Good, Adler."

"Elizabeth will be suspicious." I told him desperately. "I was bitching about you on the train before you turned up. It's only the second day of term, she'll know something is wrong."

He raised an eyebrow. "I'll take care of that."

"You won't hurt her, will you?" I asked.

He shrugged. "I don't know. Haven't planned anything yet." He climbed out of the passageway and closed it behind him, and I bit my lip. Should I warn Elizabeth?

"Merlin damn it!" I snapped, kicking the bed. "If I save Elizabeth, I kill Natasha. If I keep trying to save Natasha, Tom will kill Elizabeth. I hate my life!" I made my mind and walked over to the trapdoor, only to find that Tom had jammed it shut.

I held back tears as I flopped down onto the bed he'd provided. I was not going to let him win on that matter.

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Hello there :)

The chapters get shorter before they get longer. Also it'll seem like this is going to be predictable... BUT IT'S NOT. Dun dun duuuun. No, I just know what this looks like and all and it definitely isn't. This is probably my second-least-favourite chapter so please don't let you put it off.

Reviews? I feel bad asking for these. Review if you want to. It's not that much effort. Hell, you don't even have to have an account.


	3. Chapter 3

Another chapter for you people.

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Chapter Three: Allies and Enemies

The next morning Tom conveniently opened the door as I began to walk over to it.

"Good morning, Adler." He smiled. "I'm going to put our plans of dating on a hold for the moment."

I did my best not to sigh in relief, knowing that he'd take any weakness he saw and use it against me. "Elizabeth is okay? Are we going to convince her the normal way?"

"No. Say nothing to her about me other than what you normally would." He told me sharply.

"Alright, alright. Gees, don't get your knickers in a knot."

He glared at me before looking at his watch. "Go and get ready for classes. Wake up call is in fifteen minutes."

"Riddle, what are you planning to do?" I asked. "You're not going to hurt Elizabeth, are you? I'll fight with her and pretend that I've fallen for you, just don't hurt her or Natasha-"

"Shut up, Adler." He hissed. "Go and do whatever it is you do in the mornings before I lock you in the secret passage for the rest of the week!"

I walked away quickly, not liking the look in his eyes. I'd heard rumours about him, that he'd set snakes on people and burned them with his magic before he'd come to Hogwarts. I didn't want to find out if they were true or not.

I met the new transfiguration teacher later that day – Professor Dumbledore. He'd been working at a smaller school in Wales for several years until Headmaster Dippet had hired him. I gathered that he was rather eccentric just by looking at him; he was wearing violet robes with white stars on them, which I quite liked but (from the look on my classmates' faces) I was the only one who did.

"Hello, class. Welcome to NEWT advanced transfiguration." He greeted us. This class was the group of people who got the highest score possible in the OWLs, and there were only six of us there – three Ravenclaws (myself, Jade Peters and Robert Grey), two Slytherins (Riddle and Orion Black) and a Gryffindor (The eldest Potter child, whom I wasn't acquainted with).

"Today we'll be learning transfiguration of a living creature into that of another – I'm aware that you all know the basics of this, however today we'll be attempting to turn a fish into an amphibian - a frog." He floated over the fishbowls that contained our goldfish. "You'll all have separate fish but I'd like you to work in pairs."

Peters and Grey immediately partnered up, as did Riddle and Black (albeit unwillingly. Black looked like he was choosing the lesser of two evils, which happened to be a blood-lusting shark as opposed to an angry mother nundu), leaving me with Potter.

He gave me a friendly smile through the trademark Potter hair over his eyes. "Hello."

"Hi. You're... Daniel?" I greeted uncertainly.

"Darius." He corrected. "And you're... Janet?"

"Jane." I responded.

"It's nice to meet you." He smiled, sitting next to me. "Would you like to go first?"

I nodded, recalling the unusual wand movement for this spell. _"Verto vultus_!"

The fish grew legs, leaving it looking like an orange, scaly, creepy-looking giant tadpole.

Darius pulled his wand and cast the spell on his own fish, which grew lungs but lost its fins and promptly drowned.

I winced. "Well, it was close."

"Yeah." He sighed sadly as Professor Dumbledore swept over cheerily with a new fish. "Better than that monstrosity, though." He added cheekily towards my fish, which had climbed out of its bowl and was waddling around the desk in a very drunken manner.

"I'm surprised it's still alive." I remarked, seeing the gills that were still on my fish.

"Maybe you altered the gills so they can take straight air as well as water. It's like... a super fish!" Darius grinned.

I smiled, picking up my super fish. "I shall name it Brutto and I'll teach it to fight crime."

"Isn't that Italian for ugly?" Darius asked.

I looked pointedly at the newly named Brutto, who seemed to be quite enjoying a game of chasing his own tail. At least I think it was a tail. It might have been a misshapen fin.

"Fair enough." Darius conceded.

That evening I bumped into Darius again whilst transfiguring a cage for Brutto, whom Professor Dumbledore had kindly allowed me to keep.

"Hello, Jane." He smiled, pushing up his glasses. "Have you heard about the Christmas Ball?"

"No, I haven't been able to visit the message board." I told him, putting Brutto in his brand new cage. Brutto whistled happily as I turned back to Darius. "Why?"

"I was wondering if you'd like to go with me – it's on Christmas Eve and I thought a pretty girl like you wouldn't stay without a date for long." He said charmingly.

I smiled. "Oh, Darius – I'd love-"

"Adler!" Riddle called from further down the room. "A word, if you will."

I winced. "Sorry, Darius, I'll be right back." I left him with Brutto and trotted over to Riddle. "Yes, Riddle?" I hissed quietly.

"Manners, Adler. A highborn pureblood like you wouldn't want to cross social boundaries. Now, I do not want you to go to the Christmas Ball with Darius."

"Why not?" I demanded.

Riddle glared at me. "It is essential to my plan. Run along now, and turn him down."

"You can't control my life!" I whispered angrily.

"No – but I can control Natasha's."

I glared at him furiously before walking back to Darius.

"I'm sorry, Darius, I can't go to the Yule ball with you – I'm busy that night. I'm so sorry."

Darius' face fell slightly. "Oh... well, no hard feelings. Do you want me to walk you to your dorm?"

"That'd be wonderful, Darius."

It was a fairly pleasant walk, with Brutto happily whistling while Darius and I chatted.

When they got to the portrait, Darius pulled him aside.

"What's going on with you and Riddle?"

"I'm sorry?" I asked in surprise.

"I asked you out. You pretty much said yes, which means you like me and you're not actually busy. He calls you over to him; you have some sort of argument, which you both try very hard to make sure that nobody overhears. He wins, and you come back and lie to me to turn me down. What is he doing? Blackmail? Does he know a secret? Has he stolen something of yours?"

I remained silent.

"Listen, Jane, I can help you." Darius caught my arm. "I'll tell Dippet, but you've got to tell me what he's doing."

My bracelet burned and I glanced down at it.

_Did you know that this bracelet is also a monitoring device? I can tell when you're talking to him, Adler._

I attempted to tell Darius and excuse but he interrupted me.

"Please, Jane. I know that we're not friends, and that I don't know you, but if you're being hurt by him I will help you – my little sister committed suicide last year, after Riddle said something to her. I won't let the same happen to you." Darius begged me to tell him.

I felt my eyes beginning to get wet as I suddenly remembered Ella Potter, the girl who had died last year. She'd been a first year, and I had tutored her for a while before she had become depressed and jumped off the astronomy tower. Darius' mother had followed suit from the highest tower of the Potter manor.

"Look, nothing is going on. Rid- Tom just reminded me that I'd already made arrangements. I'm sorry for doing that to you." I told him, hoping desperately he'd see through the lies.

Darius grabbed a note and scribbled something on it before saying goodbye and walking away.

I looked at the note and my eyebrows rose in surprise.

**Okay, so he's watching you. I know that he's still in the great hall, so he must be using some sort of spell. I'll leave questions for you on a spare piece of parchment – leave it somewhere secluded that you go often. Put stones on it – two for a yes, one for a no. I'll wait.**

I'd heard rumours that Darius was failing school, that he was dumb. Obviously there hadn't been much substance to those at all.

I burnt the parchment before going to have a shower, my wrist smarting from the sting of the bracelet.

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I like reviews. They're pretty cool. *hint* :D


	4. Chapter 4

Hey guys! Two updates in one day. I know, I'm bored and I felt you'd appreciate it. Or something. Actually I'm just high on sugar right now. Sorry for the super short chapter - I wrote the entire story as one long chunk and then divided it into chapters, which in hindsight was a bad idea. This was the only place it worked :)

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Chapter Four: Draconis Vera

I was waiting in the common room after dinner when Elizabeth entered, looking far too pale.

"Liz?" I asked, getting up. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She snapped.

I felt her forehead – she was burning up. "Liz, you have a fever. Did you feel like this earlier today? We should take you to Madam Greengrass."

"D-do you think? I started feeling like this just after I started eating, actually."

Poison. Riddle had poisoned her.

"Well, if it's this quick, we best take you to the hospital ward." I dragged her there as fast as I could.

Madam Greengrass took one look at Elizabeth and put her in a bed, giving her a whole load of potions.

"What happened?" I asked Madam Greengrass. "Is she going to be okay?"

Madam Greengrass took her head. "She developed dragon pox, dear. I have no idea how it happened so fast – it's almost as if she was given something to cause and speed up the disease. She'll survive, if she has constant healer attention, but she'll have to go to St Mungos. Once I've put the disease in temporary stasis I'll call some healers to take her there."

"When will she get back? O.W.L preparation starts in a few months-" I worried aloud.

"Miss Adler, she'll be lucky to make it back to school for N.E. with the strength of this strain." Madam Greengrass interrupted me.

My eyes widened and Madam Greengrass' face softened.

"You should go back to your dorm, dear." She told me. "She'll be out of it until long after the healers arrive."

I swallowed. "R-right. Thanks, Madam Greengrass."

"It's fine, dear. She'll be okay, remember. Well done on bringing her to me so soon."

I walked out of the hospital ward at a slow pace before my wrist burned and I looked down to see _Kitchens, now_ written on the bangle. I took off at a run and was at the kitchens in minutes.

Riddle was waiting in a private area he'd set up for himself.

"You could have killed her!" I hissed angrily. "How dare you? You've ruined her entire schooling career, and everybody knows that dragon pox makes women infertile! She'll never be able to marry suitably, never be able to get a respectable job... You've ruined her life!"

He raised an eyebrow at her. "She was an obstacle in my way."

"She's a human being!" I cried. "You can't just..."

"I could have done worse." He said threateningly.

"What do you mean? Her entire life is ruined!"

"At least she hasn't ended up like Myrtle." Riddle smirked.

"You... you were the one who killed Myrtle? You're the heir of Slytherin?" I said in surprise. "But you're muggle-born!"

"Actually, I'm the last of Slytherin's decendents. My mother died before she could contact someone in the magical world." He told me before grinned cruelly. "Of course, Myrtle didn't see me, but-"

"But Hagrid got expelled for that!" I gasped in outrage. Hagrid, half-giant though he was, was a wonderful person who I often tutored before he was expelled.

"Well, I couldn't have the school closing down, could I? And I certainly wasn't handing myself in." Riddle snorted. "Now, Adler, our little problem is solved. You can act as my girlfriend, and nobody will suspect a thing."

I swallowed.

"Oh, and talk to that Potter again and I'll snap your sister's pretty little neck." He said in a light tone, as if talking about the weather. "Now, I want you to go back to your house and act like nothing is wrong. Hell, take a walk on the way back. And do not. Breathe. A word. I shall publically ask you out when I wish for us to begin our... façade."

I hurried out and pulled a piece of blank parchment out of my pocket, taking a detour to the third floor corridor, which I passed every day on the way to breakfast from my dorm. How Darius would find the parchment, I didn't have a clue.

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A/N: Draconis Vera is taken from the latin masculine word for Dragon and the latin word for pimples, which is the word that they use in the medical names for smallpox and chickenpox.

ClamKidToTheRescue: Yeah, I find Tom creepier than Voldemort for some reason. I think it's because Tom's still a child/teen and there's something really creepy about a child who chooses to do evil when they're supposed to be innocent.

GlitteryStilettoss: Thank you for you amazing review! I am so glad you like it! And Jane does not end up related to Harry in the way you think, but I'm ashamed to say that I couldn't resist throwing her into the Potter family tree. But at least I did it creatively - there is NOT a Jane and Darius relationship coming up.

Review, my lovelies :D (I'll try to keep this part short, as I know that super long review responses annoy me when I'm reading someone else's fic).


	5. Chapter 5

Sorry, sorry, sorry. I got banned from the computer. :)

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Chapter Five: Accusations and Allegations

On the way to breakfast the next morning, I stopped at the window that I'd left the parchment next to.

Surprisingly, it had a question on it.

**Is he blackmailing you?**

I turned it over and weighed it down with two stones before heading along to breakfast. Darius tried to catch my eye, but I steadfastly kept my gaze on the floor. I would not give Riddle a reason to kill a second Potter child, now that I had no doubt that he would.

In potions, Riddle claimed me as a partner before Darius arrived in class (it being another small class, as we were all in extended transfiguration, meaning our timetables were different), and Potter and Black were forced to pair together, much to their despair. As they were both useless at potions, they teamed up to sabotage Peter and Grey's cheering potion by throwing ingredients in it at random from the other side of the room, which eventually gave it the side effect of turning the test subject into a violet and blue flamingo.

After dinner, there was another question.

**Has he clarified what he wants from you?**

I placed one stone for a no on the parchment before I went to the common room, only to be called back by the bracelet.

_By the lake, in ten minutes. Make yourself look pretty._

I sighed, heading upstairs and helping myself to Elizabeth's make up. She wouldn't need it now so it might as well not go to waste.

Once I was finished, I headed back to see a third question on the letter.

**Did he poison Elizabeth and did Elizabeth suspect him of something?**

**Answer to a) _ Answer to b) _  
**

I put the appropriate stones in place (Two for a, one for b) before walking down to the lake.

"Hello, _Jane_." Riddle greeted me. He was also dressed up.

I realised what this was – a date.

"Hello, Tom." I forced myself to say. "Lovely night. Are we going somewhere?"

"Yes – as a prefect, I'm allowed to go to Hogsmead whenever I wish. We'll go to the new pub – the Three Broomsticks, I think it's called. Come along, Jane."  
I followed him down to the village, where he got me a butterbeer and a meal. From the outside, I suppose it would have looked pleasant – I was commanded to laugh every now and then and we both did a rather good job of looking like we were enjoying our date. The atmosphere, however, was more than icy.

"Tomorrow I must go to Slughorn's annual social party." Riddle told me as we left. "You shall come as my date."

"R-right. What do I need to wear?" I asked.

"I'll have Miss Parkinson deliver an outfit for you via her sister." Riddle told me.

"Okay. Er..." I paused as we reached the great hall, where the paths to our dorm separated. A group of students approached and I plastered a smile on my face. "I had a great night, Tom."

"I did as well, Jane. Good night." He walked off towards the dungeons and I took off towards my dorm.

The next morning I woke up to having Cara Parkinson put a dress on my bed.

"My sister said this was for you." She shrugged, walking out.

The dress was beautiful – figure-hugging and graceful, made of light, soft, violet material. There were also matching shoes and a small box of jewellery.

I stretched out happily, glad that it was a Saturday. This week had passed far too slowly for my liking, yet also in a blur.

It was odd.

I shook my head and got up, having a shower and heading down to the breakfast hall.

"You look dead on your feet." Darius smiled, suddenly appearing out of nowhere.

"That's because I pretty much am, Darius." I responded with a quiet smile.

"Where are your friends?" Darius asked.

"Don't have any. It was always just me and Elizabeth."

"Oh." Darius frowned. "Want to sit at Gryffindor table?"

"Am I allowed?" I looked up at the staff table.

"The worst that can happen if you getting told to move back." Darius shrugged. "Come on, Jane. Live a little."

I laughed, sitting down with him at the Gryffindor table and getting some breakfast. It was only ten or so minutes later when Hera Black (Orion's sister) and her group of giggling morons walked over.

"I heard that you're dating Tom Riddle." Black said in her annoying voice. "He told my brother that you were."

I nodded slowly, avoiding looking at Darius. "Yes, that's true."

Black and her group erupted into laughter. "What would he want in a girl like you? You're not good looking or even Slytherin... you know what this must mean?" She smiled evilly.

I sighed. "What must it mean, Black?"

"It means, Adler, that you're letting him under your skirt."

I choked on my drink, which I had unfortunately chosen to sip at that moment.

"What?" I stood up. "How dare you, Black!"

She smirked at me and I drew my wand, flicking it in the peculiar way that Natasha showed me over the summer, a way you can use to change your own complexion. She went carrot-colour orange and I sat down.

"Oh, look. She's a little squib. Were you holding you wand wrong? Nothing happened!" She laughed.

"Er... Hera..." One of the girls in her posse said hesitantly. "I think you should go look in a mirror."

Once they were gone, with much shrieking and glaring, Tom walked over and smiled charmingly at me. He pointedly ignored Darius.

"Are you okay, Jane? I'm awfully sorry to hear about what my housemates said to you."

"Yes, I'm fine." I responded lightly.

"Good, good. I'll see you at Slughorn's party – I'll wait outside your dorm at six."

I nodded, sitting back down as Riddle walked away.

Darius took out a piece of parchment and began to write. I looked over and paused.

**Is he forcing you to date him?**

I pulled two decorative stones out of my pocket and put it down on the table delicately, trying to ignore the sympathy in his eyes. If I was going to stick to my 'don't cry because of Riddle' rule, I'd have to learn to stop tearing up every time someone showed a little compassion about this.

* * *

There it is :)

Darius is my favourite character. He really is. I want to write a whole series about him - but I'm currently working on something, so it'll have to wait :)

Reviews?


	6. Chapter 6

Super short chapter here, sorry guys!

* * *

Chapter Six: A Broken Family

The weeks passed more quickly than ever from that moment onwards – my entire house seemed to turn against me, with almost every conversation stopping as I joined and almost always I heard whispers of _'Did you hear what Hera Black said? Personally, I think it's more than likely. She's not exactly... classy'_ through the door before I entered the fifth year rooms.

Finally, Christmas Break came and I returned home happily, hoping to find some relief.

I hoped in vain.

"Father!" I smiled as I flooed into the house. "It's wonderful to see you again! I'm so glad the holidays have come. Where's Mother?"

My father looked at me dolefully with Natasha's big, hazel eyes. "Your mother has been bed-ridden for weeks."

"Is she ill?" I asked in worry.

"No, unless broken-heartedness is an illness. She's convinced that Natasha is missing because she failed to protect Natasha."

"What? No!"

He sighed. "She's slowly getting better, with potions and healers, but she isn't well."

I sighed. "No Christmas this year, then."

He smiled sadly at me. "Not really, no."

We barely spoke for the rest of the holidays, with most of my time being taken up behind a bubble-head charm at St Mungo's, talking with Elizabeth and filling her in on events (excluding Tom, of course).

Finally, on the morning of my return to Hogwarts, Father approached me.

"Jane, I've heard that you are currently being courted by Tom Riddle?"

I rolled my eyes at his old fashion language – he was brought up in the house of Bagshot, as one of the lesser heirs to the old family. He'd taken my mother's name, as she'd been the sole heir to the family name and therefore of more power than him, despite her family's lower class.

"Yes, father."

He looked at me. "I've heard funny stories about him, Jane."

"Father, I'm not going to date a lunatic-"

"Let me finish, Jane. I know that love blinds you to the subject of your affection's faults, but you must realise that he's dangerous, Jane."

"The teachers love him, Father."

"The teachers are not always correct, Jane." He told me sternly. "I wish for you to stop seeing this boy."

"Father, there's no way he'd ever hurt me-"

"You can't know that for sure. I am your father and you will obey me." He commanded.

I nodded in pretend defeat. "Fine. I'll keep away from Tom."

"Good girl." He kissed my head. "I know you think young Riddle is 'the one', but there will always be other suitors. A marriage between you and Black would be beneficial.

"Father! You can't mean that! They're mad, the lot of them!" I gasped in horror.

He smiled, ruffling my hair. "Peace, I was joking."

I smiled. "Thank goodness for that. I best be off – good bye, Father."

"Good bye, Jane."

* * *

Wow, there was an awesome response to the last chapter.

Anon(): Thanks so much for the enthusiasm! I love enthusiastic reviews. I had Riddle tell Jane because lets face it, Voldemort seems like the kind to brag. He does so many times with Harry and as Jane is currently being blackmailed by him I figure he can give it up as a safe bet. Also, in book 6 it seemed like it was common knowledge to Tom's 'friends' that he was the Heir of Slytherin. He's not really relying on her, he's just using fear tactics - perhaps I didn't make that clear enough :S. I probably didn't make it clear that Tom was only making Jane brew the potion to inconvenience her. Nothing really comes out of that until the final chapter, where he makes a comment about it or something. I wrote that part when this was just a little idea, and as such I didn't have any more major plot planned. Also, in regard to the girlfriend - why bother to win over a girl in his house when he can force Jane to do it and continue to bully her at the same time? But you're right, I did fudge up Dumbledore's timeline a bit - I can't remember why but it was important. I know it was :)

0CookieMonster0: Yes, Darius is the cutest person in the entire world. If he existed I would marry him. I think I may have channeled my 'perfect man' image into his character.

Thankyou SammPaglia for your review(s) :) And also hi to those of you who put me on Story Alert.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven: The Beginning of the End

When I got back to school, Tom immediately called me to a meeting.

_Astronomy tower roof, now._

I trotted up there to meet him.

"Hello, love." He greeted me, seeming almost nice. "How was your Christmas?"

"It was good, Tom." I looked at him suspiciously.

"That's lovely. I just wanted to catch up – there's such a beautiful view from up here. I expect it is all the extra magic in Hogwarts that makes the surrounding area so fertile."

I sat down next to him gently. "Tom, I... I can't keep on pretending to date you."

He looked over, dropping the facade of friendliness, his voice getting cold. "And why is that?"

"My father says that I can't date you. He could disown me – whom would I marry then? And more to the point, he could stop me from getting a job in the ministry, where I want to work."

Tom looked at me uncaringly. "Is that my problem, Adler?"

"But Tom, you have to understand... if I am disowned, my life is nothing! I might as well have never been born, for all the good it'll do."

Tom shrugged. "Life isn't fair, Adler. You'll soon learn that. Now, I'm not going to remove that bracelet until I want to, so you best watch what you do. After all, I can get it to hurt you."

"Please, Tom-"

"No. Keep being my girlfriend, or Natasha will die."

A thought suddenly struck me. "How do I know you really have her? How do I know that you aren't just taking advantage of the fact that Grindelwald has taken her?"

Tom smirked. "I suppose you don't know. But I'm not going to risk myself by showing you."

The next morning I went to my windowsill to collect Darius' latest question - he had arrived back a few days earlier than me and signalled to me that he'd left a letter at yesterday's dinner. When I arrived around the corner Tom was there, Darius' parchment in his hand.

"T-tom?" I stuttered nervously and worriedly at the same time.

"Ingenious." Tom smiled at me, making me even more nervous. "The only way I couldn't detect what was going on. It must have taken a fair bit of effort on Potter's part." His smile slipped away. "What did I tell you about talking to him, Adler?"

"N-not to." I stuttered, flushing in embarrassment at my obvious fear.

"That's right." My bracelet suddenly started to burn and I winced in pain, trying to lift it away from my skin. "As punishment, that will remain like that all day." He told me, looking me in the eyes. "I realise it's unfair to kill Natasha so soon, after only one transgression, so I'm going to let her live. But disobey me another time and I swear to Merlin himself, she'll die."

I winced, still trying to adjust my bracelet. "Okay."

He smiled coldly at me before walking away, taking the paper with him.

"Expect some sort of public display of affection." He called after me.

At lunch later that day, I was sitting on my own in the Ravenclaw table when Darius came over.

"Hey, want to come sit with me?" He asked.

"No, Darius. I'm fine." I snapped.

"Woah, what's wrong, Jane?" He questioned, sitting down.

"Nothing!" I hissed at him. "Go. Away."

He frowned, beginning to look hurt. "Jane..."

He looked up as Riddle sat down next to me. "Excuse me, you're obviously bothering Jane. Could you leave my girlfriend alone, Potter? Oh, and stop sending her letters."

The message was clear, even to Darius, and he went back to the Gryffindor table without a word.

Tom leaned over for a kiss and I gave him one, feeling sick to my stomach with nervousness.

"Oh, Jane. No need to be worried." Tom smiled as he pulled back. "I'll keep him away. If I'd known that Potter was bothering you earlier, I would have stopped him. You need to tell me these things."

I smiled in what I hoped was a grateful way. "Thanks, Tom. I guess I didn't think."

"Charming habit, that one." He pretended to tease, grabbing some food. "Oh, is that the time? I've got to go! See you later, Jane."

"Yeah, bye Tom." I looked over at Darius, my face apologetic. He nodded sadly.

* * *

Finally here :)

My computer is retarded. Sorry about that. Like I said before, they get shorter before they get longer.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Nine: Lovers' Spats

More than a week passed before Darius tried to contact me again, this time by getting a message delivered via my dorm mates.

"Hey, Adler?" Sarah Keenan asked as she entered the common room during homework hour.

"Yeah?" I looked up from my work.

"Potter wants to give you a message. He says that he's going to Dippet unless 'it' stops."

I nodded slowly. "Right. Thanks, Keenan."

She walked off, looking at me suspiciously and I glanced at the clock before gathering my things up and going to the room to get changed. I had a 'date' with Tom.

"Lovely night." He smiled at me as I met him at the main doors.

"Yes, pity about the cloud cover." I said with a shrug.

"Shall we go?" He asked politely. We walked to Hogsmead in tense silence – him caught up in his own thoughts, me in my loathing of him. We got to the Three Broomsticks after what seemed like an age, and Miss Rosmerta smiled at us as we sat down in our regular booth.

"What would you like, dearies?" She asked.

"A butterbeer for me, please. Jane...?" Tom turned to me.

"Just a gillywater, thanks." I smiled at Miss Rosmerta. She was in joint ownership of the pub with her father, and only a few years out of Hogwarts.

"Coming right up." She smiled cheerily.

Tom leaned across the table and very deliberately kissed me – none of the students or teachers were there, but rumours spread fast in Hogsmead. Rosmerta would almost definitely mention it to whichever student came in the pub next.

The door opened and I shivered as a gust of cold air from the freezing night outside blew in and chilled me.

Tom took of his jacket and gave it to me, and I smiled in appreciation as I put it on, although I shuddered at the smell of it – it smelt like Tom; the scent of stone, blood and strong magic.

I looked up to say something to Tom when I saw my father.

At that moment, my father saw me.

He walked over very slowly, arriving at our table after what seemed like an age.

"Jane." He said harshly. "I thought I told you not to see this boy anymore."

"S-sorry, father." I tried to say.

"That's not good enough!" He snapped. "I'm rushed off my feet caring for your mother, the search party for Natasha and helping the Johnsons pay off the St Mungo's fees. I do not have time to worry about you dating misfits and muggle-borns!"

I swallowed. "Father, I..."

"No, Jane. Just no. Let me make this perfectly clear to you – if you do not stop making troubles for me and disgracing this family in the process, Jane, you will find yourself with no family to disgrace and only the tender care of an orphanage."

"Father!" I gasped.

"Natasha would have never added to my difficulties, had _you_ been taken by Grindelwald! I wish she was the one still with the family – she wouldn't be so inconsiderate." He growled. "I expect this to end – today."

With that, he walked out and Tom watched him go in silence.

"Come on, Jane, let's go back to the castle."

I was still staring at the door when Tom had to help me up and steer me out of the pub.

Father had just threatened to disinherit me. To disinherit a pureblood heir... It was the biggest insult you could receive. If I was disinherited, not only would I be left out of the will and given to the ministry, I'd lose all my possessions and, depending on whether or not my family felt I should lose them, my memories of them.

I started to cry, hot tears tumbling down my cheeks.

"Jane?" Tom asked, sounding almost sincere in his worry for the first time.

I pushed him away. "This is all your fault! I hate you!"

He stood still in surprise, staring at me as I broke down before I turned and ran all the way back to the castle gates just as it started to snow.

* * *

My computer. It is evil. My chapter nine is my chapter eight as well, and the others are all scrambled. I'm beginning to think I was on crack when I labled the chapters. Bare with me as I re-organise them please :)

I'm having a lot of people saying that I should have clarified Jane and Tom's relationship back in the first chapter. Sorry about that, people. I'll possibly rewrite that chapter in the future, however for now I'll just put it here.

They had shared classes and such before, but they knew each other about as much as Harry knows Blaise Zabini - they'd pretty much never spoken before. Jane disliked Tom and didn't trust him because she knew he was a bully (the Ella Potter story) and he was completely and utterly indifferent to her, but saw an opportunity and took it.

I hope this has cleared things up a little :)


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Ten: Treaty Negotiations

I woke up at two in the morning to a pain in my wrist.

_Go to the third floor corridor, the abandoned old defence classroom with the trap door, now._

I groaned before getting up and throwing on a jumper and slippers, checking on Brutto in his cage before leaving the common room. I was at the classroom in record time, as I wasn't keen to be caught by any of the ghosts.

Tom watched me as I entered the room.

"What?" I asked with a tired sigh.

He raised an eyebrow. "I need to make some adjustments to your bracelet."

"What do you need to do?" I held out my wrist, knowing that I was unable to remove the bracelet.

He tapped it with his wand a few times. "I'm making it so that it has a tracker."

"I thought it already had one?"

"No, it just tells me who's around you." He told me offhandedly as he checked something to do with the bangle.

When he let go of it, I decided to ask him a question.

"Tom... please would you release Natasha?"

"Not a chance, Jane-"

"Just hear me out! I can't bear to be disinherited, and Natasha... she has been gone for half a year!" I said quickly. "I swear on my magic that I'll do something in return for her freedom. One thing, anything you wish. You can swear me to secrecy, or tell me to blow up the school. I don't care what I do. Just please, please let Natasha go back home."

"Why is this so important to you? She is being cared for by magic where she is, and nothing will change, not really-" Tom started, raising an eyebrow.

"My parents. My mother is dying because Natasha isn't there, and my father is stressed out of his mind. Tom, Natasha may be safe but the rest of us... you're killing us." I begged. "Please, please just let her go..."

His face softened a little. "Fine. But I expect you to do whatever I ask, and to continue pretending to date me until I decide what I want."

"I swear I will."

He nodded. "I have some matters to take care of. Go back to bed, Jane."

I waited while he walked out, and it was only when I got back to the dorm that I realised that I had no idea why he ever got me out of bed in the first place - he could have changed the bracelet when we next met.

Natasha was returned home within the week, although I only knew because Tom told me – I wasn't even owled. She was pronounced perfectly healthy by a healer and insisted upon going back to school, joining me at Hogwarts only two weeks after she was freed.

"Jane!" She laughed happily when she saw me, running down the great hall and hugging me. "My favourite sister!"

I laughed back, feeling as if a weight had disappeared from my chest. "Natasha! Oh, I'm so glad you're okay."

She smiled, kissing my head. "Yeah, well I'll be lucky to pass my N.E.W.T.s at this rate, but it can't be helped. I'll just have to do a tertiary course. Now, it's a Saturday, so you're free, right? Want to go help me unpack?"

I sighed. "I'm sorry, I've got a date in Hogsmead."

Natasha frowned. "Oh. Surely he'd understand...?"

"Tom's... he's a little different. But I swear I'll hang out with you all this afternoon, okay?"

She smiled a little. "Yeah, it's okay Janie. I've got to catch up with Grace anyway."

I sighed in relief. "Thanks, Tash." It struck me that Tom wouldn't let her go with knowledge of who took her. Was she obliviated? "What was it like, when you were kidnapped? Was it scary?"

"Well... not really. I didn't even see any of Grindelwald's followers – I was knocked out and I woke up in a room that simply provided what I needed. I don't even know why I was kidnapped, to be honest."

Obviously Tom had been planning this for a long time, or at least well.

"Oh, I've got to go now." I stood up apologetically as I glanced at the clock. "See you later, Tash."

"See you, Janie."

As I walked away, Darius rushed over and began talking very seriously with Natasha.

* * *

Do you guys remember how I said they'd get shorter before they get longer? Well don't worry because I'm putting up the next chapter too. Hooray for computer-literate relatives!


	10. Chapter 10

**_IT'S A LONG CHAPTER. I KNOW, I'M AMAZED TOO._**

**_Here you go, have 3,000 words. :)  
_**

Chapter Eleven: A Chance

I turned up at Madam Puddifoot's just a little after Tom, to find that most of the tables were full.

Tom smiled at me as I sat down on the table nearest the window.

"Hello, Jane. I heard your sister was back?"

I nodded, taking a seat as he poured me a tea. "Hi, Tom. Yeah, she came back to school today." I leaned closer, lowering my voice. "Thank you."

He nodded. "You're welcome."

We chatted pleasantly for a little while over tea. The cold atmosphere that we'd endured for a long time seemed to be almost gone, and Tom actually laughed.

"Jane, I have something serious to tell you."

I raised an eyebrow. "Yes, Tom?"

He took my hand. "I... Jane, I like you."

"As a person? That's nice, Tom. Anyways, what were we talking about?"

He sighed agitatedly. "No, I mean... I _like_ you."

I froze up for a moment. "Tom, are you being serious...?"

"Yes." He he told me, trying to gauge my reaction.

I swallowed, staring at the tablecloth.

"Jane?" He asked.

"I'm sorry – I can't do this." I stood up and walked out, only to have him following me.

"Jane, please. Give me a chance!" He begged. "I know... I know what I've done is wrong, but I can be better."

I kept walking, him at my heels.

"Jane, you don't understand how I was raised. Muggle orphanages are awful... I know that I've passed that on to you, but I can and will make up for it." He said with conviction. When I didn't talk to him and kept walking, he sighed. "Please?"

I spun around, checking the street was clear of people.

"Holy Merlin, Riddle. First, you kidnap my sister. Then you blackmail me for months. After that, you ruin my best friend's life and force me to lose contact with the only other person in the school I like. And now you expect me to give you another chance?" I hissed at him.

"Jane, I..." he swallowed. "Please, Jane. Just give me a chance."

"No. Way." I stalked off towards the castle.

Darius was walking down to Hogsmead when I got up towards Hogwarts.

"Jane!" He grinned before seeing my distressed appearance. "Are you alright? What has Tom done?"

"It's nothing, Darius." I sighed. "Don't worry about it. Where's Natasha?"

"She's with Professor Dumbledore, getting some private tutoring. Did you know that Dumbledore used to work here – back in Riddle's third year, so four years ago. He went off to do private research with Nicholas Flamel." Darius told me.

"Really interesting, Darius. I've got to go." I tried to push past him and Darius grabbed my arm, stopping me.

"Seriously though, Jane, what's wrong? You look like hell and I know that you went on a date with Tom just now."

"It's nothing, Darius!" I snapped, trying to pull my arm away.

"Jane, please let me help you." He begged. "I told you, I don't want you to end up like Ella. I will not let Riddle do that to another family."

I jerked my arm away. "Darius, stop it."

He grabbed my shoulders, forcing me to look at him. "Jane. I care about you. Please, let me help."

I stared at him, tears coming to my eyes. Without thinking I leant forwards and kissed him before jerking back like I'd been hit with a cruciatus.

"Oh Merlin... Darius, I'm sorry."

"Jane, what's going on?" He asked desperately. "Please just tell me!"

"I'm... I..." I pulled out of his grip. "I'm sorry, Darius."

I could feel his eyes on me as I once again ran up the hill to Hogwarts.

By the time I saw Tom next, which was the next day, it was quite apparent that he knew that I had kissed Darius, and that Darius had not given up his mission.

Natasha and Darius both weren't at breakfast, so I had nothing to distract me from Tom's cold stare across the room.

I began to fear that he'd ask me to kill myself; however what he really did was possibly much worse.

"Jane! I need a word." He took me aside, out of the hall and into an abandoned classroom, before he took a piece of paper out of his pocket and put it on the desk.

"You need to fill out your side of this form and sign it."

I stared at the form in horror.

"A marriage contract? Tom, no!"

"You promised me whatever I wanted. I want this." He snapped.

"But I'll lose all my rights!"

"That's the point." He replied coldly.

I swallowed. "Tom..."

"Shut it, Adler. Or should I say Riddle?"

I glared at him and grabbed my quill. It was either this or lose my magic; the perils of swearing unconditionally on your magic, it seemed.

When I signed it, the form flashed gold before disappearing as my pre-determined dowry was put into Riddle's bank account and 'ownership' was transferred to Riddle. He'd chosen the oldest version of Wizarding marriage he could find, which meant that as well as being legally binding it was also magically binding and highly sexist – I was, for all intents and purposes, his house elf.

"Good, _darling._" He smiled cruelly. "Run along, now. Oh, and I forbid you from telling anybody anything that would get me in legal trouble or trouble with the school."

I nodded involuntarily before I ran out of the room, straight into Darius and Natasha, who were discussing me.

"Jane?" Natasha asked in surprise.

Tom swept out of the room, glaring disdainfully at them all while I squeezed my eyes shut.

"What did he do?" Darius asked me.

"Nothing." I said, with a slight nudge from the magical contract. "He just wanted to ask me something. I'll catch up with you two later, okay?"

They watched me worriedly as I walked off, and I could hardly blame them for doing so.

"What are you going to do in your free period?" Tom asked me at lunch the next day as I sat at the Slytherin table.

"Oh, I have an assignment to do for Divination." I told him, knowing that he hadn't taken the subject and therefore wouldn't offer to help.

"Okay." He nodded. "I'll see you at dinner, then?"

I nodded back and he got up, heading to the doors. Tom Riddle: Evil soon-to-be dark Lord, and acting extraordinaire. At least, I'm fairly sure about the acting part – I get the feeling that the feelings he confessed a few days ago no longer apply.

"Hey, Jane." Darius smiled at he walked up beside me.

"Sorry, Darius. I've got study club to go to." I made up.

He glanced back at Tom suspiciously. "Okay."

When I got to the library I went straight to the books on old pure-blood traditions.

_Magical Contracts (Marriage)_

_Marriage contracts, which have not been widely used since the sixteen hundreds, leave the woman of the relationship unable to disobey the male. It rejects all same-sex couples and couples where only one of the members have magic, with the other being a squib or a muggle. It forces the woman to become 'the perfect wife' – she may not tell others things that her husband doesn't wish them to know, if her husband asks her to do a chore then she must do it and if she has the willpower to resist, the magic can punish her severely. Very few exclusions exist to these rules. They were once common, however women began to refuse to sign them after Lady Belle Delaclour, an influential woman of Veela blood of the court in France became a widow and revealed the abuse that she suffered in her marriage._

_It is to be noted that if the female party resists the punishment and manages to betray her husband, the magic will incinerate her. In 1876 the ministry of magic altered the contracts so that an unspeakable who had been forced into marriage by Dark Lord Alyosha was able to reveal weaknesses of her husband. (See 'Charm: Delora')  
_

That page of the book was missing.

I put the book away and went to Madam Roberts.

"Excuse me?" I asked quietly.

"Yes, dear?" She looked up from her catalogue.

"I'm looking for information on the Delora charm. I was wondering if you could help me?"

"Of course. Have you looked in _Modern Uses of Old Magic_?"

"Yes the page was missing."

She tutted. "I'll have to speak to Headmaster Dippet about that. Never mind – there's also an article on it in _Magic of the Unspeakables._ Of course, that's in the restricted section, so I'll just pop in and grab it for you. You won't be allowed to take it out of the library."

"That's fine, Madam Roberts."

I waited while she got me the book before I took it to the most secluded corner of the library and began to read.

_The Delora Charm_

_This charm was created by Unspeakable Weasley-Black in 1876 to allow an unnamed female unspeakable to share information about her husband while under a marriage contract. It is incredibly difficult and involves annulling the magic of one of the parties. This is dangerous and if done incorrectly can leave the party permanently without magic, or even annul the wrong energy – the life energy, thereby killing the subject. There are two variations of the charm – variation one is actually a potion, with several rare ingredients. It lasts for just over three hours and can be repeated. Variation two is a spell allows the subject to speak only to family members, and it lasts for just over three minutes on average. It cannot be repeated._

The instructions were on the next page and I copied them down for variation two. Variation one was far too difficult – I was never going to be able to get basilisk bones, for one, but it also took two months to brew. I didn't know if Tom was going to allow me to live for that long.

I put the books away, thanked Madam Roberts and practically ran to the common room.

A small blue letter was sitting on my pillow when I arrived and I opened it cautiously, expecting some sort of itching powder or punishment from Tom.

Instead I was greeted with my father's familiar handwriting.

_To Jane_

_I was sorting out the family affairs this morning when I noticed a payment had been made from the family vault to a 'Riddle' account at Gringotts under your name. I thought some sort of mistake had been made, and so I flooed straight to Gringotts to confront to Goblins. Do you know what they told me?  
It was an automatic payment of a preset price triggered by a signing of a magical contract._

_It was your dowry._

_Pray tell, Jane, how it is that you continue to disobey my orders? I told you to stay away from Tom Riddle and I meant it!_

_You are hereby disowned from the family. Natasha shall receive your inheritance._

_From this day forth your name is changed – Jane Irene Adler, your birth name will from now on be Janet Marietta Evans._

_Do not expect any help from the Adler family if you are ever in a time of need.  
_

_Sincerely,_

_William Adler_

_Director of Aurors_

_Ministry Of Magic_

The next morning I put a piece of paper in Darius' bag when he wasn't looking.

_Curse me. Bring Natasha. The spell is Permitto eius oro veritas._

They caught me on the way to the library in my escape from Tom.

"What did the note mean?" Darius asked.

I opened my mouth to try and explain and I couldn't speak.

"Curse... it isn't a curse, Darius, it's the counter-curse!" Natasha said. "Riddle must have cursed her – maybe that's why she had to sign those marriage forms. I wouldn't put it past him to do an imperius curse. Cast it."

"I won't be able to tell Darius." I told Natasha. "You have to-" I was cut off by the magic.

She nodded. "Darius, move away. I'll tell you once she's done." She took the piece of paper and drew her wand. _"Permitto eius oro veritas."_

Suddenly the bond magic coiled back and I gasped, grabbing Natasha's shoulder and pulling myself up to whisper in her ear.

"Riddle captured you at the beginning of the year and has been blackmailing me. I promised one favour for your freedom after six months of jumping through hoops. The favour he forced me into was signing the contract. I cannot get free of it and this is a one-use only charm that lasts for a minute and half. Natasha, you have to find a way to get the word out and annul the marriage."

Natasha drew back, eyes wide. "Jane..."

I shuddered as the charm wore off. "It's Janet now, remember? Janet Evans."

"If you're an Evans, I'll become one too."

"And disown the family? You'll be penniless and without a name, Natasha. At least I have a husband."

Natasha smiled sadly. "Perhaps then Father will take us both back. Never mind, Jane... Janet." She turned and walked down the hall. "Come on, Darius. We've got plans to make."

That afternoon I was called to talk to headmaster Dippet to discuss my tuition fees for the future. The Ministry of magic payed for all Hogwarts tuition fees for those of non-magical families, and the poorest student that were enrolled were given 'help'. But I had nothing and didn't qualify for 'help' or the ministry tuition coverage.

As I stopped to knock, I heard Natasha and Darius' voices.

"Jane did not marry Riddle of her own free will!" Natasha was near yelling. "She hates him!"

"She asked me to help her, but he's bonded her with the marriage contract so she can barely talk to me anymore." Darius added.

There was a scraping noise as Dippet stood up.

"Riddle is a model student and I will not hear a word against him. He was instrumental in capturing Hagrid when the chamber was opened and he is bright and popular, a wonder to teach. Why would he hurt Miss Evans - I mean, Mrs Riddle?"

Someone banged their hand down on a desk. "Please, why would we lie about this? My sister is in danger!" Natasha begged

"If you have a problem with the marriage you'll have to speak to the ministry. In the mean time, I have a meeting with a student right now. Please leave my office."

Natasha and Darius stormed out and paused when they saw me.

"I have a meeting." I explained, walking in and closing the door.

"Now, Mrs Riddle. About your tuition fees..." Dipped shuffled his papers. "I am willing to offer you a full scholarship, should you receive a minimum of eight NEWTs. You're a bright girl, and I'm sure a stable husband and family life will aid your studies even more. Should you not make the eight NEWTs, we'll organise a post-school payment system. Is that agreeable?"

"Yes, Headmaster."

Dipped smiled benevolently at me. "If you have any queries or issues with certain people, please feel free to talk to me."

"People, Headmaster?" I queried.

"I hear that Darius Potter has been following you around lately. You simply have to ask and I'll organise some protection charms."

"Thank you for the offer, Headmaster." I left slowly, head bowed.

Tom grabbed my arm as soon as I got to the bottom of the stairs.

"Come with me, Adler-"

"It's Evans now, thanks to you."

"Do be quiet, _Evans_." He hissed. "We've got to stop Potter and other Adler."

"Why?" I asked.

"They're going to Dumbledore. He's already suspicious about the basilisk incident – I fear that he will not be as sure of my innocence as Dippet."

I followed him silently to the second floor east hallway, the magic not allowing me to do otherwise.

We ran into Darius and Natasha just before they got to Dumbledore's office.

"Hello there, Potter and Adler." Riddle smiled. "I recently discovered a clever little charm to do with marriage rights. Madam Roberts was kind enough to show it to me. She was also kind enough to mention that I was the second that week to be researching that particular charm. I currently do not see this as betrayal; however, should certain professors find out about our little... games, I will."

I glared at him viciously and Natasha looked like she was going to snarl before she took off in the opposite direction.

Darius walked up to Tom.

"I don't know what you're playing at, Riddle, but I'll find out and when that happens, you can say goodbye to your little plans."

"What are you going to do, set your brother on me? The one that's working as an Auror in Hungaria, right? Oh, sorry; he was captured by Grindelwald. Have you received the body yet?"

Darius glared and pushed past Tom and I, disappearing towards Gryffindor tower.

Tom smirked at me. "Come along, Evans."

I glared at the back of his head as I followed him to our 'private' rooms – the rooms that we were granted due to our married status.

"You're forbidden to tell anyone anything that I say to you in these rooms." Riddle smirked as I sat down on our lounge. "Here's the plan, Evans. I am going to be greater than even Grindelwald, even Merlin."

"Sure you are." I rolled my eyes. "And how will you achieve that?"

"Horcruxes."

"Why do you even want to do that?" I questioned, shocked.

He smiled. "I will create an empire! Dark magic will not be shunned, muggles will not lord over us. We will be the superior race."

"And what of muggle-borns and half bloods?"

"When interbreeding stops, muggleborns will also stop. Likewise with halfbloods."

"And what of the halfbloods and muggleborns who already exist?" I frowned.

"They will be killed or made sterile." He said as if talking about the weather.

I gasped. "That's barbaric!"

"That's for the greater good."

"Horcruxes can be destroyed." I pointed out.

"Not a Validus Horcrux." He smirked.

"A what?" I frowned.

"An indestructible horcrux." He translated.

"How do you make one of those?" I asked, slightly horrified. "I didn't think it was possible!"

"It's incredibly difficult." He smirked. "You need to use the blood of a member of your immediate family, a new moon ritual by a lake inhibited by Mermaids, with a unicorn as the being you murder."

"In case you've forgotten, Riddle, you're an orphan." I reminded him. "And you'll never catch a unicorn."

He glared at me coldly. "I don't need to catch one – Groundskeeper Prince has several caught for NEWT classes."

"And the family member?" I asked.

"The spell accepts the wife of a Dark Lord so long as she is his first wife and with child." He smirked.

"I'm not with child." I said flatly.

"Not yet."

* * *

DUN DUN DUUUUN.

Yes. I quite like that last line.

Reviews are wonderful. (I'm not sure if Tom was too out of character in this chapter? I know he did a massive turn around but we all know he's a little unstable. I don't think he's the type to take rejection well.)


	11. Chapter 11

_**A/N: Yes, the computer-literate relatives are awesome. I just realised that my chapter names have entirely skipped ten (I think that's the one I missed). Oh, well.**_

Chapter Twelve: Sacrifices for the Greater Good

Natasha met me out side the Ravenclaw common room the next day.

"Jane- Janet." She hugged me. "I'm so sorry. We can't help you... I don't know what to... Nobody will listen to us!"

I shook me head. "It's fine, Natasha."

She inspected me closely, suddenly worried.

"Is there anything I can do? Anything at all?" She offered.

I glanced around and dragged her down the hallway away from the few first-years studying for exams. "Contraceptive potions."

Natasha's eyes widened. "Janie..."

"I can't tell you." I whispered. "But I know that I need them."

"Will you be able to sneak them on the right dates? If you take them wrong, you could overdose or it could fail." She asked me quietly. "What if he forbids you? We need a safe-guard."

"You're right." I rubbed a hand over my face. "An infertility potion, then."

"Jane, that's irreversible." Natasha responded hollowly.

"I am not having baby Riddle." I hissed.

She nodded slowly. "I'll get it for you."

"Thank you."

We walked into the great hall together and sat down at the table just as the owl post started arriving.

When a howler arrived from my family, I was more than surprised when it went to Natasha.

"How dare you? After all we've been through, trying to get you back from Grindelwald." My mother's voice came out of the envelope as a small silencing charm bubble appeared around Natasha and I. My mother was a firm believer that family ugliness should never be public. "You dare to disown us? Jane will come back, once she gets over this stupidity. You will have no such leniency. From this day forth, Natasha, you are Nadia Jade Evans."

The envelope burnt up and the silencing charm fell.

The newly named Nadia breathed deeply.

"Natasha..." I placed my hand on her arm. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." She shrugged me off. "I disowned them, not they me. We'll start the Evans family, we will."

"I'm already a Riddle and you'll get married." I pointed out.

"You'll soon be a widow." She shrugged.

I laughed. "I wish."

The clock bell sounded and we began to get up to go to classes as Darius ran over.

"Jane-" He began.

I winced as I felt the magic. "Sorry, Darius!" I fled, hearing Natasha's sigh.

Riddle smirked from the Slytherin table as I shot him a venomous look.

Most of the day passed as usual - or what passed for usual now - until I was called to the Hospital wing.

"Mrs Riddle!" Madam Greengrass called me from the door of my and Riddle's private quarters. "I'm afraid that your sister has been attacked."

"Oh Merlin!" I ran over and opened the door, throwing a cloak on. "Is she okay? Can I see her?"

"She's sleeping, and yes, follow me." She began to walk back to the Hospital Wing.

"What happened?"

"She was going to the apocathary in Hogsmead when she was hit by some rather nasty curses. We think the attackers were disillusioned, as nobody saw them. She'll be fine, but it was rather unpleasant."

I swallowed. "What curses?"

"A mild sectumsempra, some bruising hexes and a heavy itching hex." Madam Greengrass sighed. "We're going to have to revoke the prefects' right to go to Hogsmead if this keeps on happening."

I kept silent for the rest of the walk before going straight to Natasha's bed. She was sitting up, looking tired.

"Tash." I sighed.

She smiled a little. "It's Nadia now, Jane."

I shook my head at the irony. "Are you okay?"

Nadia nodded, checking that Madam Greengrass had gone. "The Slytherins are watching me. It was Malfoy and those two goons of his."

"Crabbe and Goyle? But those three are first years!" I gaped. "They wouldn't know a Sectumsempra if it hit them in the face!"

Nadia shook her head. "Riddle has been teaching them, I'm sure of it."

I swallowed, putting my head in my hands. "How long does it take to brew an infertility potion?"

"A month." Nadia sighed. "You have to wait for the lacewing flies to cure. It's the same as polyjuice potion."

"I don't have that much time, knowing Riddle." I put my head down on Nadia's bedcovers.

"And the next hogsmead weekend has been cancelled – it'll be two months until I get another chance to brave the apocathary." Nadia sighed. "I'm sorry, Jane."

"It's okay. I'll just... not sleep with him."

"Yeah, because he won't find a way around that. Still, lets hope that it takes him two months." _Nadia_ mused.

"Yeah." I sighed hopelessly.

* * *

Wow, awesome reaction people. Here are a few responses.

- Sorry, but I can not and do not write lemon. Although if anybody wants to take up the challenge or writing an alternate way of Jane getting pregnant, you can PM me with it and I'll put it up on my profile (crediting it to you, of course).

- Clamkidtotherescue: I know, I was sad to write it. Although it's probably not how you expect it to be, unless you're a secret ninja who knows everything.

- Thanks so much for all your reviews guys!


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Thirteen: Winning the Game

"Good morning Janet." Riddle sang mockingly on Saturday morning as he opened our blinds.

"Ow! Tom, my eyes!" I groaned.

"Rise and shine!" Riddle smiled as I got out of bed, forced by the magic. "We're having breakfast together today."

I walked out to the main room, where the table was already sat. Riddle sat down on the far side of the table and gestured to my side.

I sat down suspiciously, taking a drink of the pumpkin juice. "What is this about?"

"I'm just being a nice husband." Riddle protested. "Eat up."

I was forced to, much to my annoyance. The food was nice, obviously elf-prepared, but I didn't relish eating it, my fear of Riddle putting potions in my food outweighing my appreciation of good food.

Once I'd finished my food the plates disappeared and Riddle smiled.

"I forbid you to leave this room and I forbid you to make yourself throw up."

I froze. "What have you done?"

He smirked. "The pumpkin juice you just ate contained inactive conception potion."

"So I wouldn't taste it." I frowned. "But why would that be a problem?"

"And the pancake contained the activating agent." Riddle finished, placing a pregnancy test on the table. "Activate this in an hour. No sooner. If it is negative, there is some more conception potion – active, this time – under my bed. You will drink it. If it is positive, you are forbidden to tell anyone however you may leave the quarters."

I nodded jerkily, the magic forcing me.

"Good." Riddle stood. "I have to go and talk to my first years."

I waited until he left before I curled up on the sofa, staring at the clock.

An hour passed slower than ever before and I grabbed the pregnancy test, pushing a little magic into it to activate it.

It gave off a green bubble before disappearing.

Positive. Baby Riddle now resided within my womb.

I threw the nearest book - Hogwarts: A History - against the wall before I raced out of the quarters and down to the girl's bathroom. I could throw up now, and there was nothing I felt more like doing.

Myrtle watched me from the ceiling.

"Not haunting Olive?" I asked between retches.

"She's in the Hospital ward under dreamless sleep potion." Myrtle sulked before brightening up. "She had another mental breakdown. I'm getting good at driving her to them."

I rested my head on the toilet seat. "Good for you, Myrtle."

Myrtle laughed and hovered through the toilet in front of me. "What are you doing in here, Jane?"

"It's Janet now. I was disowned."

"I heard." Myrtle said, not moving away.

I sighed. "How did you die, Myrtle?"

"How did I...?" Mytle had never sounded so flattered in her life. "Why, I was in the bathroom crying again because Olive was being quite the little cow when I heard someone walk into the room. There was this voice – a boy's voice. He said some nonsense and I of course opened the doors to tell him to get out when I locked eyes with these big, yellow and black eyes and then... nothing. I was dead. Then I returned, of course."

I frowned. "Why do you stay in this bathroom?"

"It's easier to exist here." She shrugged. "I get tired out there, but here's okay."

"I imagine that you hear lots of things you're not supposed to."

"Oh, yes." Myrtle smiled. "Why?"

"Anything interesting?" I enquired, trying to distract me from the nausea.

"Natasha Adler is pregnant. She blacked out before she was released by Grindelwald and she is pregnant from then." Myrtle said after a moment.

I raised my eyebrows. "Oh Merlin, Natasha is..."

"Oh, she's your sister! I forgot." Myrtle said thoughtfully, before pausing as I pulled out my wand. "What are you going to do?"

I paused. Actually, I had no idea what I was planning to do. The conception potion has an agent which stops miscarriages and terminations. But if I kept it then Tom would be immortal. Immortal and in control of me.

It was suddenly horrifyingly clear.

"Suicide." I told her. Everything seemed to be slowing down and speeding up at the same time, moments going impossibly fast yet in such detail that it was excruciating.

Myrtle nodded slowly. "I'm going to go get a teacher." She said uncertainly.

"Okay." I smiled. "Thanks, Myrtle." I pointed my wand at my wrist. "Diffindo."

Blood began to soak my sleeves as I staggered to the sinks, tripping down to my knees.

Myrtle flew out and a moment later Riddle ran into the bathroom. The wedding charm must have told him that I was injured.

He gasped as he saw the blood on the floor – my wrist was badly hurt and I'd lost a lot already. "Jane!"

I laughed. "Hello, Tom."

"Jane, what are you doing?" He grabbed my wrist and tried to wrap it in his handkerchief, but I pulled away. I saw tears in his eyes and shook my head to clear my eyes. I was sure my vision wasn't supposed to go wrong yet...

"Jane, please... don't do this!" He whispered.

"Why? You'll have lost your chance at immortality?" I snapped.

"Jane, I didn't lie! I... I love you!"

"You don't love anyone, Riddle!" I hissed, my breaths becoming harsher.

"Jane, let me help you!" He begged, reaching for my wrist.

"I just have one question." I whispered, sinking fully to the floor.

"What is it?" Riddle asked cradling my head.

"Why did I make the Baselisium?" I asked him.

"I wanted to see how far you would go for Natasha." Tom whispered. "It was a game to see if you would outsmart me and find a way to get out of it."

I smiled as my vision went dim before blacking out completely, fuzzy footsteps reaching my hearing. "I win, Tom."

* * *

Sixty-four years later:

"Harry!" Hermione burst into Harry's apartment, hair flying. Harry looked up from his book. "What's up, Hermione?"  
"You know how I was researching my ancestors?" Hermione asked, wearing her 'just discovered something really interesting' face.

"Yes. I thought you'd finished that project?" Harry frowned, remembering Hermione tracing her family to an offshoot of the Ravenclaw line.

"I have." Hermione began pulling out folders, putting them on Harry's coffee table. "But remember that bet that you made? That I couldn't find anything interesting on your mother's side?" she spread out the files to show the names. "Here is your mother – Lily Evans." She pointed at the file that had a birth certificate, marriage certificate, death certificate, passport, driver's licence and school results.

"Yes. And?" Harry prompted.

"Her father, Nathan Evans, was the illegitimate son of a Nadia Evans. Nadia has no registered parents and no birth certificate, only partial NEWT results and a death certificate. She went to Hogwarts. We can safely assume that her family, probably from a pureblood family, disowned her - a records of a girl called Natasha Adler disappear when Nadia appeared. Anyway, Nathan was a squib and his father is unknown. Nadia died giving birth to him and he was adopted when he was two by muggles."

Harry put down his book and picked up the Nadia Evans file.

"Wow. So I'm not really a half blood?" Harry asked.

"Shush Harry, I'm not done." Hermione said, taking the file back. "Nadia's sister is particularly interesting. She was disowned for marrying without permission, and she was called Janet Evans. She was younger, but disowned first; It's fairly obvious that Nadia was disowned for helping Janet, who was probably Jane Adler. There's not very much information about Janet at all – a note in the Hogwarts records that she was given special quarters with her husband and a death certificate. Oh, and a post mortem notice that her illegally transfigured pet would be put down. Anyways, Janet married Tom Riddle."

Harry gaped. "Seriously?"

"Yes, seriously. She committed suicide though, only a few months after." Hermione said, eyes shining with interest. "The type of marriage contract indicates that she was forced into the marriage, probably by blackmail. Nadia had been kidnapped for the half a year before Janet married Voldemort."

"He blackmailed her into marrying him?" Harry asked, flicking through the folders.

"Yes." Hermione nodded. "But even better; when Nadia was pregnant, she went to the ministry of magic to demand that Riddle take responsibility for her son – the paternity test was positive, but she died before any action could be taken and because of her lack of family the case was disregarded. She also claimed that it was not Grindelwald but Riddle who had kidnapped her and he had forced her sister to marry him."

"Voldemort is my... great grandfather?" Harry said in shock.

"Yes." Hermione laughed. "You're a natural parselmouth, Harry! That is why you've still been able to talk to snakes! You don't have to worry any more about the horcrux not being fully destroyed."

"And now I can stop the unspeakables from doing those stupid tests on me." Harry smiled. "Wow, that's odd. None of my relatives can have lived very long."

"Nope. Nadia had Nathan when she was seventeen, Nathan had Lily and Petunia when he was twenty three and twenty five, Lily had you when she was twenty one." Hermione smiled.

"Voldemort. My Grandfather." Harry whistled, sitting back as he tried to absorb what he'd just discovered.

"Grampa Voldy." Hermione laughed. "I'm related to the woman who invented the patronus charm. You're of a direct descendent of the illegitimate son of a mass murderer. I think you owe me a galleon."

**_The End_**

**_Finally  
_**

* * *

How did you like it? I know that I'll neglect this chapter forever if I don't put it up now so here you go, everybody.

This chapter. I would love reviews for it.

That's all I'm saying :)


	13. Chapter 13

I've started a rewrite! I feel my writing has improved since I wrote this and as I had so much fun with this fic, I'm going through it again and smoothing over some of the issues that you guys have brought up. The link is, naturally, on my profile.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed and favourited this, I really appreciate it and if you ever feel like re-reading it, try out the rewrite and let me know how you feel about it.


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